Body of man missing since January after leaving hospital found near car dealership
Friends and family of Scott Federer held vigils, hounded officials for answers and prayed for more than a month, learning only this week that the missing man from Canal Winchester had died when his body was found near a West Side car dealership.
The 52-year-old had left Mount Carmel East hospital Jan. 12 against the advice of his doctors and boarded a Central Ohio Transit Authority bus before disappearing, his husband, Stephen Lydick, previously told The Dispatch.
Federer was found dead Monday in a rocky ditch near 3900 W. Broad St., Columbus police said Wednesday. The address corresponds to that of Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet of Columbus.
David Katarski, co-owner of the dealership, said a vendor spotted the body while inspecting vehicles on the lot.
How was the victim identified?
The Franklin County Coroner’s office made identification using fingerprints, Columbus police said.
Columbus police Sgt. Scott LeRoy, of the missing person's unit, said that Federer was last seen Jan. 12 inside a Giant Eagle grocery with security footage showing him walking around the store.
LeRoy said the cause of death had not been determined, but Jennifer Howell, a longtime friend, said that she and Federer's husband of five years were told by law enforcement authorities this week that Federer likely died of hypothermia.
Lydick previously said he spoke with Federer on the phone when he was at the hospital and he seemed confused. Eventually, Lydick said he called the hospital and found out that someone in security had given his husband a bus pass and put him on a bus. LeRoy said Wednesday that Federer did not have bus fare, but was allowed on anyway.
What are Mount Carmel officials saying?
Asked for comment, Mount Carmel released this statement Wednesday:
"Generally speaking, if a patient refuses continued medical care, healthcare professionals are trained to explain the need for continued care. However, individuals have the right to refuse care. With a patient’s permission, staff will also contact family members or help arrange transportation."
Federer was fond of entertaining and loved his two rescue dogs, Howell said. He had been planning a vacation to Mexico recently, a favorite destination of his.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Scott Federer: Body of missing Canal Winchester man found in Columbus
